Google's Android Apps Make First Appearance

San open source software platform

The company included in the suite of applications a Google browser, phone dialer, audio player, maps, camera, games, calendar, contacts manager, calculator, tasks manager and notes. "While mobile Linux has made steady progress in the industry since 2006, Google's advocacy with the unveiling of the Android framework further substantiates the position of Linux as a major mobile operating system alongside Windows Mobile and Symbian," a la Mobile's president and CEO Pauline Lo Alker said in a statement.

She admitted skepticism of open source viability remains and said some of the technical details of the Linux-based stack have yet to be revealed. "As the leader in mobile Linux, we believe it is our responsibility to take the initiative to allay the 'mystery' and dispel any skepticism surrounding Android," she said.

A La Mobile, while not member of the Open Handset Coalition like Google is, says it plans to pitch the prototype to handset makers in hopes of riding the rise of open source applications into the mobile market.